iPhone 12 How does Apple load millions of iPhones with IOS 14.1

[typecase]

Presumably the iPhone 12 have been produced and have have been made since August or September. The GM of iOS 14.1 was seeded on October 14. The phone was annouced 2 days later and shipped sometime around the 21st to get it delivered on October 23rd. How did they load software that was presumably 1 week old onto millions and millions of devices that still needed to be packaged and shipped?

 

[JPack]

Internally, Apple is at least a month ahead in terms of GM. By the time iOS developer betas are released, Apple is already several versions ahead. iOS 14.0 wasn't released until September 16 and that timing is due to marketing. Internally, it was likely GM'ed back in early August.

 

[user_xyz]

Magic!! 🤣

 

[typecase]

Internally, Apple is at least a month ahead in terms of GM. By the time iOS developer betas are released, Apple is already several versions ahead. iOS 14.0 wasn't released until September 16 and that timing is due to marketing. Internally, it was likely GM'ed back in early August.

Thanks. I had thought that the GM is developed fairly late to allow for developer feedback but It is probably earlier like you suggest.